Passeio Livre (Portuguese for Clear Sidewalk) is an organisation that evolved from the growing realisation of how feeble respect towards pedestrian mobility is and from the need to react against the cultural acceptance of abusive car parking, as well as the apathy of policy makers and police authorities to do anything about it. A group of pedestrian advocates based in Lisbon began gathering to organise an adequate response to balance this problem common to all major cities in Portugal. The main purpose was to empower abused pedestrians and also to make visible and challenge the sense of impunity amongst brazen car drivers. In March, the group printed 15,000 stickers with the slogan “Don’t just think about your Navel” (Portuguese for don’t be so self-centred), to express dissatisfaction towards abusively parked automobiles and promote respect for pedestrians. The stickers were mailed to Passeio Livre members and other individuals interested. There was wide interest all over Portugal and hundreds of requests for stickers, including some from as far as Brazil. By June, all the stickers had been given away, while by July, following a design contest for new stickers, 20,000 new ones were printed in four different designs and are ready to be distributed. The popularity of the stickers exceeded all expectations; there was wide media coverage and a blog created to document and promote this action, which has been a huge success in raising public awareness of an issue that had once been perceived in silent tolerance. Gradually, parking attitudes are changing…

Tiago Carvalho, www.passeiolivre.blogspot.com